Monday, August 15, 2011

More On The Process

Out and about. Seeking the image from the flow of everyday in the streets. Many of a photographers do it. Fewer do it well. Something seemingly so simple can be a source of great frustration. Even for the ones who do it well. There are good days and there are bad days.

One thing about this type of phootography is that it requires great understanding, concentration, an alertness, a mixture of patience, quick thinking and decision making. Having the ability to comprehend what it is you are seeing, to anticipate how visual relationships might change, how changing your position and angle will alter things greatly, how might a different lens or focal length change composition and framing. Even your presence can affect the outcome of the final image. Wim Wenders, the German photographer / film maker felt even the presence of an assistant and conversation distracted him and "broke the spell."

It can be a complex mental math equation of multiple factors all simultaneously processing in tandem. The success of the results demands decisive physical response: the camera to the eye, framing, a steady shutter release, almost athletic in some instances. Henri Cartier-Bresson, the French master of street photography and the phrase "decisive moment" was known to almost dance about when he was in pursuit of his subject.

In the end though these things matter little. For it comes down to a way of seeing the world and your surroundings. Hopefully, a distinct, non formulaic and not banal vision. Given all the attributes listed above without intuitive creative intelligence driving the image one can take uninteresting photographs.